Planning Future In Steubenville

February 17, 2014

When foundational changes in how local governments work are being considered, the political powers-that-be often engineer the process to ensure their goals are met. That is not how Steubenville officials are handling review of the city charter.

To their enormous credit, city officials are making every effort to learn what the public thinks about the charter. Part of that process has been Charter Review Commission meetings open to the public every week.

But the commission's meetings, held on Thursday mornings, have attracted comparatively few Steubenville residents and business people. So, officials have decided a change of schedule, to make attending one of the meetings more convenient, is in order.

To that end, the Charter Review Commission will meet at 7 p.m. Thursday in City Council chambers. Members of the public are being encouraged to attend.

They should. The charter is the equivalent of a state or national constitution. It includes basic, non-negotiable rules about how municipal government functions.

Those interested in Steubenville's future would do well to attend the meeting Thursday to make their views known.